Stopped briefly for lunch at one of the picnic areas without name on the map. Looking at the screen cap below of the official NPS map you would never know this one is called Live Oak. You also wouldn’t know there is a trail leading out to a lone ancient oak tree. Maps here could use some more detail, tons of trails you would never find. Anyways this post is just to drop more pins on my mashup map & share a few quick photos.
A scragly joshua tree silhouetted by the sun. Many others are larger. Fun facts about Yucca brevifolia: these trees got their nickname from Mormons, and it’s estimated that climate change will wipe out 90% of them by the end of the 21st century. Ugh.
A short yet large yucca plant. Not sure if this is a juvenile joshua tree or something else but they are both part of the yucca genus.
Some of the rock formations lining the landscape. Oak tree is somewhere on the other side of this formation if Google is true.
And some more rocks. Climbers started piling into the park about this time. The park is a top destination and it’s easy to see why.
A final look across the landscape before I get moving again. Where am I heading next?
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